Chapter 40

He didn't know if it was because Fu Xiuxiu was home these two days.

Bai Meiling seemed to come home a bit earlier every day after work.

After coming back, she would pull Fu Xiuxiu out to go shopping or chat in the courtyard, occasionally emitting crisp and delicate laughter.

Of course, she also drilled into Luo Chen's room for no reason.

Watching Luo Chen build the alchemy room bit by bit, there was an extra look of admiration in her eyes.

"With this craftsmanship, even if you can't make it in alchemy in the future, you can go to Mount Ailao to seek a job."

"Mount Ailao? What do they do?"

"A Core Formation sect in the Yuding Region, specializing in all kinds of mineral products; at the same time, this sect is very good at building houses. Aren't these bricks and stones of yours bought from the Immortal Construction Residence, a shop directly under Mount Ailao?"

The Immortal Construction Residence was an industry of Mount Ailao?

Luo Chen really didn't know this.

Or rather, he didn't know much about the sect called Mount Ailao.

Bai Meiling explained it to him casually, and only then did he know that Mount Ailao was thriving in the Yuding Region.

Rogue cultivators weren't very particular about where they lived; having a wooden house or a cave was enough to live happily.

But sect cultivators with deep financial resources weren't that accommodating.

Their residential caves often had to be carefully designed.

From lighting and illumination to medicinal gardens and alchemy rooms, they had to choose good places and use good materials to build them.

Especially for large buildings, there were even more tricks inside.

From the mountain gate cave heaven to the market buildings, it wasn't just about building the house and laying the floor; the entire large array had to be completed.

How to match spirit-attribute wood, the penetration and gathering of spirit energy by minerals, and the influence of Feng Shui orientation on the long-term residence of cultivators all had to be considered.

Even whether the floor was suitable for the takeoff and landing of large flying ships had to be considered.

Some famous large arrays were even specially set up, not only combining with the mountain and water trends but also integrating with the architecture to reach the point of borrowing momentum from each other.

Over the past three hundred years, after the Yuding Sword Sect established its dominance in this region, it had ushered in a vigorous great development and great construction.

In this vast development and construction process, Mount Ailao had truly contracted many projects and made a fortune.

"The initial buildings of our Dahe Market, from layout design to construction implementation, were all handled by Mount Ailao."

"It is rumored that in Mount Ailao's Divine Work City, any set of cave dwellings starts at a price of one hundred thousand spirit stones, and they are only sold for seventy years."

After listening to Bai Meiling's explanation, Luo Chen was truly stunned.

Real estate in the immortal cultivation world was also so promising!

No, in the future when I have spirit stones, I must also invite experts from Mount Ailao to redesign it.

"By the way, do Sister Xiuxiu and Sister Caiyi have any conflicts?" Luo Chen asked curiously, digging for gossip.

Things between women were very troublesome, and he didn't want to participate.

But gossip between women was always very interesting to listen to.

Bai Meiling tilted her little head, "No conflict!"

"Sister Xiuxiu is very gentle, usually amiable, and rarely has conflicts with others."

Luo Chen was stunned, "Then why did Sister Xiuxiu seem uncomfortable when I mentioned Sister Caiyi?"

"Oh, you mean that!" Bai Meiling smacked her lips and waved her little hand, "Isn't it because of the trouble with Sister Xiuxiu's Daoist companion."

Sister Xiuxiu had a Daoist companion before?

Luo Chen instantly became interested.

"Sister Xiuxiu's Daoist companion was an inner sect disciple of the Yuding Sword Sect. But because he failed to impact the Foundation Establishment stage, he was transferred to the outer sect to be a deacon."

"Outer sect deacons can't focus on cultivation and need to be sent to various places to handle various industries for the sect."

"That person came to the Dahe Market and met Sister Xiuxiu, who was still a rogue cultivator, and the two formed a Daoist partnership."

As Bai Meiling spoke, she shook her head.

"However, this person failed to establish his foundation, his Dao heart was damaged, and later he indulged in enjoyment. Even with Sister Xiuxiu, he often spent the night at the Long Long Tianxiang Tower."

"One morning, he died, dying in an embroidery building at the Long Long Tianxiang Tower."

"It was Senior Sun Shou who personally went to collect the corpse."

Dying under the peony flower, making a romantic ghost?

Luo Chen couldn't help but give a thumbs up; this belonged to the role model of our generation.

"Since then, Sister Xiuxiu hasn't liked people and things related to the Long Long Tianxiang Tower. And since Sister Caiyi works there, she might be reminded of the past, so she doesn't like Sister Caiyi very much!"

Bai Meiling explained the ins and outs, and only then did Luo Chen suddenly realize.

Hating the house and its crow, that was about the situation.

Having satisfied Luo Chen's curiosity, Bai Meiling also remembered her own question.

"Can Fire Dog Whip also be used to refine top-grade Grain-Bigu Pill?"

Luo Chen hurriedly pushed her out, "I'm busy, it will smell very strong later!"

"Yuck, remember to turn on the range hood, otherwise I'll complain about you."

Bai Meiling pinched her nose and ran away in disgust.

Casually casting a spell of spirit power to start the range hood, Luo Chen took out the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace from his storage bag.

Clang!

"The volume of one side is still a bit small; if only I had a storage bag with a volume of three, five, or even a hundred."

It was still a first-grade low-grade magic tool, unable to change size at will.

This Purple Cloud Copper Furnace alone occupied almost eighty percent of his storage bag's space.

There was no other way before; the medicinal materials were stuffed inside the furnace.

If he didn't take them out, the main materials would all get mixed flavors.

Carefully placing the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace above the fire pit, he then added water.

Taking a bundle of yellowish green steel wood and stuffing it underneath, he cast a Fireball Art, and the firewood slowly started to burn.

Having changed alchemy equipment, the peach wood and red cedar wood he used before weren't very suitable.

The firepower that those two kinds of firewood could release was too small; if he wanted to heat the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace, he didn't know how much time it would take.

Therefore, Luo Chen specially purchased expensive green steel wood.

This first-grade spirit wood contained oil and could release impressive high temperatures after being ignited.

"It is rumored that high-level cultivators refine elixirs either by using their own internal alchemy fire or by borrowing earth fire or heavenly fire from between heaven and earth. I wonder when I will be able to perform such means?"

Muttering a few words and confirming that the heat insulation of the fire pit was no problem, Luo Chen turned and left the alchemy room.

Burn the furnace first, heat it up, and by the way, burn out some medicinal gas hidden inside.

These operations were all based on experience.

When Miss Xiangxiang sold him the furnace, she also warned him in the booklet she left behind.

Burning the furnace was just the first step; next, there was testing the furnace, and only after becoming familiar with it could he refine with peace of mind.

These two days, just process the medicinal materials first!

Crackle!

Pop!

"What's that sound?"

A lazy, puzzled voice came from outside, and Luo Chen opened the alchemy room's stone door and walked out, covered in dust.

Gu Caiyi looked at his disheveled appearance and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What are you doing? And this room of yours, how did you partition a room?"

Whoosh!

Luo Chen fanned the air and cast a cleaning spell on himself.

With a bang, the dust on his body scattered, causing Gu Caiyi to hurriedly dodge.

He came to the water vat, scooped up a large ladle of cold water and drank it, only then catching his breath.

"Damn, no wonder famous alchemists are equipped with fire-watching boys; this alchemy room is definitely not a place to stay often."

After cursing, he had time to explain to Gu Caiyi.

"This is my newly built alchemy room, how is it, not bad, right!"

Gu Caiyi waved her hand, patting off the dust around her.

"It's okay, I suggest you stay in it every day."

Luo Chen's face turned sour, but he didn't mind, "I'm testing the furnace, I stir-fried some fairy beans, want to eat?"

"Fairy beans?"

Luo Chen drilled into the alchemy room and soon brought out a plate of golden beans.

The beans had shells, but they had already cracked during the high-temperature stir-frying process.

As long as one peeled them gently, the white fruit kernels inside were revealed.

"It's bitter hazelnuts!" Gu Caiyi picked one up skeptically, "This thing is very bitter, can it be eaten?"

"Try it and you'll know."

Luo Chen had already peeled the shells and stuffed several into his mouth.

Gu Caiyi peeled the golden shell and put the white, tender fruit kernel into her mouth.

Her rosy lips moved slightly, and her eyes slowly brightened.

"Oh, not bad! How did you stir-fry it? It actually tastes fragrant and crispy, and even contains a little spirit energy."

Luo Chen said vainly, "Exclusive secret recipe, no comment!"

Gu Caiyi rolled her eyes at him and snatched that plate of fairy beans away.

Luo Chen didn't mind; he added a bucket of water to the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace and then walked out the door carrying a small water pot.

In the courtyard, Gu Caiyi sat on the child-sized swing Little Tiger usually sat on, holding that plate of fairy beans in her hands, peeling one every now and then.

Opposite her, Luo Chen carried the small water pot, watering a row of potted plants one by one.

"These are Fu Xiuxiu's flowers and plants, right!"

Luo Chen said "Mm," and observed the two spirit plants that Sister Xiuxiu had specially warned him about, confirming there were no problems.

It had been four days since the last dinner.

Fu Xiuxiu's day off had ended, and she had returned to work at the Divine Talisman Pavilion; she only had one day off a month.

Some time ago, she was promoted to manager and stayed at the Divine Talisman Pavilion for a long time, only then accumulating three days of holidays.

Before leaving, she entrusted these flowers and plants to Luo Chen to look after.

"You kid are quite familiar; you just met her and already tricked these flowers and plants into your hands."

"You can't talk nonsense! Things between neighbors, how can that be called tricking?"

"Tsk, I just saw it; you put that pot of Moonlight Grass at the head of your bed; you must be secretly working hard to cultivate every night!"

Luo Chen's little face turned red; how could this woman's eyes be so sharp!

But don't say, the effect of Moonlight Grass was really good; although it couldn't compare to calming incense, it also had one-tenth of the effect.

These two nights, the maximum limit of his Changchun Gong operation had increased by one time.

After cultivating every day, he felt refreshed when he got up in the morning!

Along with it, his daily proficiency in spells kept rising, and several spells had broken through to new levels.

Luo Chen hurriedly changed the subject, "Why haven't I seen you come back these past few days?"

"Eh, wait, your cultivation?"

Gu Caiyi pursed her lips and smiled; the narrow swing squeezed her plump buttocks, contrasting with her slender waist to create an exaggerated visual effect.

"You noticed, I'm at the ninth level of Qi Refining!"